The
Commission Do Not, However, Propose To Present In This Connection Any
Review Of The History Of The Treaty, Or Of The Circumstances Which, In
The Opinion Of Congress, Have Rendered Its Termination Expedient.
This
work has already been performed, under the auspices of the Treasury
Department, by E. H. Derby, Esq., of Boston, to whose able and
exhaustive report the Commission would refer, without, however,
endorsing its conclusions.
There are, however, certain points connected
with this subject to which the Commission would ask special attention.
"'The first of these is, that during the continuance of the Reciprocity
Treaty the trade and commerce between the United States and the British
North American Provinces has increased in ten years more than
threefold, or from seventeen millions in 1862 to sixty-eight
millions in 1864: so that at present, with the exception of Great
Britain, the commercial relations between the United States and the
British North American Provinces outrank in importance and aggregate
annual value those existing between this country and any other foreign
state. [Footnote: The value of the import and export trade of the
United States with the following countries for the year ending June
30th, 1864, was, according to the Treasury Report, as follows (in round
numbers):
Great Britain ...................... $317,000,000
British North America .............. 68,000,000
Spanish West Indies ................ 57,000,000
France ............................. 29,000,000
Hamburg and Bremen ................. 29,000,000
Mexico ............................. 20,000,000
Brazil ............................. 19,000,000
China .............................. 19,000,000
British West Indies ................ 12,000,000]
"'It may also, they think, be fairly assumed that taking into
consideration the growth of the two countries in population and wealth,
(that of Canada for the last ten years having preserved a nearly equal
ratio in this respect with that of the United States,) the trade as at
present existing is really but in its infancy, and that the future may
be expected to develop an increase equally as great as that of the
past.
"'A change in the conditions under which a reciprocal commerce of such
magnitude is carried on, and is now developing, ought not, therefore,
to be made without the most serious consideration.
"'As regards the present treaty, the Commission, as the result of their
investigations, have been led to the conclusion that its continuance,
under existing circumstances, unless accompanied with certain important
modifications, is not desirable on the part of the United States.
"'They, however, are also unanimous in the opinion, that, in view of
the close geographical connection of the United States with the British
Provinces - rendering them in many respects but one country - and of the
magnitude of the commercial relations existing between them, it would
be impolitic and to the detriment of the interests of the United States
to decline the consideration of all propositions looking to the re-
establishment of some future and satisfactory international commercial
arrangement. Such a course would be in entire opposition to the spirit
of the age, the liberality of our people, and the policy of rapidly
developing our resources as a means of diminishing the burden of our
public debt.
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